President’s Report

This, being the last newsletter before the September 13 AGM is a time for both reflection and satisfaction at how the club is travelling.

The reason why the timing for separation of AGM and Xmas Party in 2025, is that last year the entertainers were so focussed on their well-crafted productions that their potential valuable input into the AGM was far, far from their minds.

In reflection, and please don’t diminish the importance of this remark, is that for both paddlers and cyclists, and also for most  walkers, Ramblers coffee breaks are taking noticeably longer. And that is not totally due to fatigue and need to recharge.

We are continually getting to know each other better. On the trips away, and what a record number we’ve had so far this year, we have found ourselves in situations previously thought to be quite unlikely. See photo below left. Credit Sam Garrett-Jones.

While away, we found ourselves at the village of Glenreagh, south of Grafton, supporting a proposal to build a new rail trail, viewing an associated Rail Museum and cleaning out all the stock from the village’s bakery, recommended by our walkers, Kevin and Liz Pentecost. News of us swamping Glenreagh has, or will be, chronicled in Bicycle NSW News and Rail Trails Connections Journal.

Another recent group activity, well covered in The Illawarra Flame, was the Lake Illawarra Plastic Clean-up. Gerry O’Leary and Charlie Yeatman had a hand in organising WIN TV coverage. Really good.

 

 

 

What we are doing is increasingly enhanced by the images appearing in our gallery and on the Facebook page by our quality conscious image editor Julie McDonald. Our website is about to undergo a fix which should ensure easier placement of photos.  A favourite image is:

 

Branding an activity with a name, such as the National Tree Day walk spread more interest in us within our community, and was directly responsible for ABC Illawarra Local Radio (97.3) giving the club 5 minutes live on air.

What has become part of his club life is the quiet role, in between regularly walking, cycling, paddling and now caving, Phil Prentice fits in being Welfare Officer. Phil keeps an eye on all of us, as well as the Committee. Being on the lookout for others has been good to see. A pick-up from hospital to help a clubmate bring home a new hip is an example heard this week.

In recent times we’ve been scratching to dig up a personal history in time of need, let alone the club’s history. When we separated from the WEA in 2014, we were offered custody of all their records relating to the club. Wollongong Council’s local history unit declined at that time to mind them. As our committee revolved, those records went missing. A couple of months ago Council said, “Why didn’t you offer them to us”? So, we’re rewriting history. Please think about how you might contribute to such a club history. A lot of data since 2007 is digital. Special events, moments of joy, an unforgettable anecdote all help make a history readable and is a great asset when nominating members for citations. More will be said about that at the AGM coming up on 13 September.

Via feedback to us from state parliamentarians it is apparent that many cyclists are honing new skills as letter-writers. In responding, as the club also has, to the possibility that e-bikes may be banned on NSW trains, they have written and completed surveys. It is very important that if any members are against e-bikes, or any bikes on trains, that you email the committee at illawarraramblers@gmail.com . We are not just a cycling club. The long term aim, (very long term), for our needs is to have special bike accommodation on all trains and not be cluttering doorways, aisles and disabled seating. This week our club has been invited to try out (and pay) to use the current XPT type train testing proposed bicycle accommodation on the new regional trains undergoing internal design, right now. They should be introduced in 2026/2027. Not only are the trains affected regional but will include Kiama to Bomaderry and Southern Highlands lines.

And, getting back to the fraternity expressed at the top of this column, plans are coming along for our Xmas Party. The entertainers want to do it all again but get home earlier. The cast is not a closed shop. If you can put on an act, read poetry, are a ventriloquist, play an instrument or want to sing, Project Manager Phil Prentice would like to hear from you.

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Hope to see you on September 13.

John